The Davy Lamp:: Inventing the Miner's Safety Lamp

(Hardback)

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Description

Sir Humphry Davy's original manuscripts, as collected by Michael Faraday - with expert contemporary transcription and notes - contain Davy's scientific notes, workings and diagrams as he developed his prototypes and the final version of his invention that helped promote safety in mining during the Industrial Revolution. Just over two centuries ago the Miners' Safety Lamp was invented by Sir Humphry Davy working with Michael Faraday in the Royal Institution of Great Britain. From 1816, the use of the lamp saved the lives of countless coal miners and facilitated the increased coal production that was vital to continuing industrialisation. In recognition of the bicentenary, ArchAlive are publishing a unique bound volume of over 200 pages of the actual manuscripts (held in the archives of the RI), reproduced with a transcription printed opposite. This is one of the few primary sources from which the invention and innovation of the lamp can be tracked. The book has a full transcription, expert commentary and introduction from the book's editor Frank James, Professor of History of Science at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, and University College London.

Author Bio

Frank James is professor of history of science at the Royal Institution of Great Britain.